March 2009: Santiago with KELP

Once I learn Spanish, I'm going to Chile. With my French background, I'm useless in a Spanish-speaking country. When I went to Barcelona, I was so embarrassed that I preferred miming everything to speaking English. I am jealous of my Spanish-speaking friends who study abroad in places like Argentina and Guatemala. South American countries have always intrigued me, and Chile is definitely at the top of my list. Today's post comes all the way from Santiago. Chilean artist KELP shares his work and a few words with us. He writes:

"KELP.cl is shorthand for: culture of the wall. Strictly speaking, it is the portal that shows how the words ‘graffiti’ 

and ‘design’ come together. By mixing graffiti and design, KELP illustrates new opportunities and innovative products and services." 

"With a presence in over 15 countries and a desire to explore, KELP.cl promotes the work of plastic art and graffiti from the disciplinary perspective of design."  "This perspective allows us to focus mainly on the innovative and transgression of the best examples from sources that are found in Latin America, Europe and the USA.""This is your portal, so you can build learn, explore, and enjoy innovation in the world where graffiti meets design. To painting!"

For more information visit, http://www.kelp.cl/. 

Gracias, Kelp! I like your old-school piece style mixed with bold colors and fresh graphics. Y a todos mis lectores de habla hispana, gracias por su apoyo; se lo agradezco mucho!  Tomorrow's post takes us to one my favorite islands in the Pacific. Get ready!

March 2009: Kiev with Psia Krew

Last week, I received an interesting challenge. Thanks to my high school French teacher (Merci, Madame), I can puzzle out the gist of most Romance languages. The Cyrillic alphabet, however, is a whole other story. Google Translate proved to be quite valuable in this situation. I played with the syntax, polished everything up, and am proud to present our first Ukrainian post. Meet Psia Krew, a group of graff guys from Kiev, Ukraine. (The name means "dog's blood" in English). Crew member Jura Maraudeur writes:

"Psia Krew (Kiev Krew) dabbles in different forms of street graphics without committing to any particular genre. Emerging initially as a traditional crew, Psia Krew’s writers aimed to write their names and the crew’s name everywhere. They exposed Ukrainians to the world of graffiti, which made it possible to communicate with a wider audience. Flirting with so-called «street art», the crew took a fresh look at graffiti writing and the creation of murals."

"In our crew, we clearly distinguish between graffiti as street art, the broadest spontaneous artistic self-expression, and graffiti as writing, a graffiti-movement and subculture that originated in New York (or California, depending on who you ask). In the first case, there are no internal rules or restrictions. In the second case, we are dealing with a rigid hierarchy and value system along with stereotyped patterns, behaviors, and self-organization." 

"Crew members Lodek, Ura, Kiot, and Homer participate equally in both subculture writing and more popular «public» street art. Being a classical writer has its limitations. For example, you write your name or logo everywhere and do so with unwavering enthusiasm. Street art is interesting to others and is mainly popular due to its accessibility to readers."  

"Using their street experience, Kiev Krew’s members also experiment with a static version of communication: gallery exhibitions. Of course, it is impossible to submit true «street art» to a gallery. 

Therefore, depending on the context, the group tends to reformat its street projects. We feel it is an interesting opportunity to illustrate the connection between the things we love: outdoor graffiti, graphic design, fashion, lifestyle…"  

All photos courtesy of Psia Krew. To see more, find Jura Maraudeur or Homer on MySpace.

Thanks, Jura! And to all the members of Psia Krew and everyone using the Cyrillic alphabet, Спасибо вам, читатели! Я надеюсь услышать больше историй и Смотрите фотографии из стран Восточной Европы.  Finally, I got an e-mail yesterday from Remi/Rough in London. He's got a private viewing on Thursday, so check it out if you're in the area. Grab the details here. Tomorrow's post features another new country, so brace yourself for another globe-trotting report.

In The Headlines

I went on a much-needed mission this weekend. Hebron, I (may) love you, but you're bringing me down. Eager to get out of this sleepy town, I took the bus to Boston and spent the weekend with friends hunting for JFK's birthplace, ear gauges, and Turkish nazar bracelets. We munched on amazing pizza, lay on the porch sipping iced coffee, and drove to a park after dark while listening to our favorite songs at full volume. While I am still antsy, the trip was a step in the right direction. Here are the headlines; I'm going to make some pancakes. Enjoy!

Ads parodying Governor Patterson’s ‘Keep It Going’ campaign appeared in New York City subway stations.

Yoshitomo Nara likes jail? If he doesn’t keep his record clean for a year, he may change his mind.

Blogger Keegan Hamilton comments on Nara’s arrest and questions the artist’s pleasant jail experience.

Shepard Fairey faces 31 new charges in court this week.

The New York Times discusses the definition of street art and whether Shep is an artist or a criminal.

Unlike Michael Phelps, the allegations against Fairey haven’t weakened his corporate partnerships. 

Berlin’s artSPACE gallery presents “Bigwood,” a showcase of street artists, graphic designers, and illustrators from Durban, South Africa.

Californian art collective Cat Cult exhibit their prints at California’s Riverside Art Museum.

Minneapolis artist Deuce Seven returns to where it all began. Catch his homecoming show at the Soo VAC through April 12.

San Franciscans critiques the works of muralists Kerry James Marshall and Mona Caron.

Blek le Rat answers questions for blogger Qi Peng in Salt Lake City.

I may be off to a slow pre-coffee start this morning, but the blog lineup for the week is pretty intense. Ukraine, Chile, and New Zealand are all ready to represent! Hope the weather is mild and springy where you are so enjoy the day!

Friday ProFiles: Erwin/Crackrock

Erwin (formerly known as Crackrock) hasn’t tagged any ridiculous locations like “UFO's, midgets, jet-fighters, or something crazy like that,” but his style is all over the place. His pen and ink drawings bear resemblance to a variety of wild beasts (ManBearPig, anyone?). As part of the dynamic Dutch duo Betamaxx, he produced stickers of traditional tags as well as disemboweled pandas. Armed with a pen and a sketchbook, this Eindhoven native has taken his work from the streets of the Netherlands to galleries and urban spaces worldwide.

While he currently goes by his given name, Erwin originally hit the streets as Crackrock.. “Some of my friends went to NYC in the early ‘90s,” he recalls. “They got a little wild, smoked crack for three weeks, and came back all fucked up. Trying to do something positive with the stories they told me, I changed my name to Crackrock.” Spurred by the graffiti in tunnels close to home, he cites Josh, Freaky, York, Yaki, and Ace as some of his initial inspirations.

Back in the day, Erwin recalls, “I was more of a bomber than someone who could do great pieces. From there on out, I moved on to art school. When I returned, I combined the two backgrounds with the stuff Baschz, the co-founder of Betamaxx, and me were doing. The result was crazy and experimental and kind of wacky in a good way.” Graffiti was personal and creative but also social for Erwin. Teaming up with The Shoarma Crew led to collaborations and lifelong friendships. “My crew is my family. We’ve all been friends for over 20 years now and I see them as my brothers and sisters.”

Fear of arrest made Erwin slightly nervous as a young writer. “Getting caught by the police would have meant a bottle of whoop-ass from my father, but it was like PeeWee’s Big Adventure in the end,” he jokes. One hazy night combining booze, bombing, and the boys in blue led to a collaboration further down the road. “In the early ‘90s, my boys Phet, Circle, and I met two writers from Denmark. We had a great time together: got drunk, went out bombing, got caught by the police. In the end, we went our separate ways. About 15 years later, I received an e-mail in the Betamaxxx account from a guy asking if I knew Phet and myself. The Danish writers Googled us and found the Betamaxxx website. The renewed contact led to a show at Copenhagen’s Gallery Ebbesen; it was a great experience.” Erwin cites differences between street art and graffiti. “Graffiti and street art are two completely different things to me,” he insists. “The similarity lies in the fact that they’re both forms of expression on the streets of the city. But graffiti is a different, more hardcore thing with different rules and a specific form of expression.” Street art, on the other hand, is more free form. “To me it’s just art,” he adds, “whether it be in a museum, a gallery, or on the streets; if I like it, I like it. If I don't, I don't.” While he’s been getting up since 1985, Erwin first created specific street art projects in the late ‘90s.

When he’s not getting up, Erwin freelances at MU, an art space in Eindhoven. In this creative arena, he’s worked on exhibits featuring Geoff McFethridge, Miranda July, The Changes, and Henrik Vibskoy. While Erwin spends more time indoors these days, he’s still as prolific as ever. Currently, he’s working on a solo show set to open by May. Keeping himself on point, he pushes himself to develop new skills and ideas. He says, “My ultimate goal is to have people see the world through a different perspective after they encounter my work. I’ll use anything if it helps to get my point across. I think everything should be possible.”

All photos courtesy of Erwin. For more photos and information, check out his website at www.powerblastmovement.com.

Thanks, Erwin! To all my Dutch readers and everyone else worldwide, Hebben een goed weekend!

Paris 2008: Leo et Pipo

When new residents move into a neighborhood, they often make gestures to get to know their neighbors. Others choose to throw house-warming parties, inviting the neighbors to their homes for dinner and conversation. Whatever their style, many people like to greet their neighbors and announce their presence. I've received many a pound cake from neighbors, but I've yet to see a creative peace offering like the work of Leo et Pipo. Moving from the suburbs to the heart of Paris, these new kids on the block are working to win their neighbors over one wheatpaste at a time. They write:

“After spending their childhood in the sweetness and quiet suburb east of Paris, Leo & Pipo are struggling to adjust to the austerity of the capital, Paris, a city-museum.” 

“They are struck by the profound boredom and the lack of human warmth that prevails in the streets of the megalopolis.”  “In April 2008, Leo & Pipo began a decorative project, an attempt to assert ownership over this city that rejects them. What better tradition than to express oneself on the walls of the city that dictates your laws!” 

 “Yet Leo & Pipo ardently avoid any message and commitment. They offer their figures as potential actors in the rhythm of the neighborhood. These anonymous figures of another time will tell nothing to anyone ... they just watch people, hoping that these people look back.”

With their antique outfits, I almost feel like these characters are friendly ghosts watching over the neighborhood. Who doesn't need to be watched over from time to time? For more photos, check out their MySpace. Thanks, Leo et Pipo, et merci à tous mes lecteurs français! Je suis tellement hereuse que vous aimez ce que vous voyez. Continuez à lire!

February 2009: Biafra Inc. in Wisconsin and Beyond

Today, I want to apologize. Yesterday, I left an entire word out of a post. While readers could decipher the meaning behind the sentence, I’m not okay with this. Lately, I’ve been an intern, a publicist, and an editor for this blog. I think I temporarily forgot what I’m really trying to do. In the midst of recruiting artists and responding to e-mails, I forgot how to write! So to all my readers out there expecting something better, I’m sorry. I appreciate the comments letting me know what’s up and what needs to improve. In the future, I’ll stay on top of my work as long as you keep reading and spreading the word. Deal? Okay then! Time for the post. Today’s words and images come from Biafra Inc. in Wisconsin’s 920. He writes: 

“My whole artistic goal is to get people involved and into it.  I primarily use stickers to accomplish this mission. They’re fast and easy and they allow people to interact with them.”   “I’ve been told I have a distinct style, but I’m not really sure what it would be. I do a lot of big stickers and I use a lot of colour, but I’m not entirely sure if you’d call that a style. My work is more spontaneous and on the spot than anything. I just do what I can with what I have at the moment.” “I love street art, because it’s free art for people. There’s no admission cost, there aren’t any lines, and it’s a little treat in a rather dull urban environment.  I also really like the community. Everyone’s pushing the envelope and coming up with new stuff so it’s really inspiring.” “I do street art, because I love it. It’s also become sort of an addiction which might be bad, but whatever. I just like the feeling of putting stuff up. It’s hard to explain, I guess.”

No need to explain, Biafra! I get it. Thanks so much for sending your stuff. If you're in WI or the greater Wisconsin area, be sure to search around for these stickers. To cap off Wednesday's post, check this out. New York graffiti artist Earsnot expounds on tags, politics, and bedwetting? Be prepared for a little graphic drug use, gratuitous nudity, and a whole lot of musing on getting up. (Thanks to my sister Victoria for sending this clip my way!)  

March 2009: Copenhagen with Drumstick

Since this is a long post, I’ll make my announcement early. In the middle of April, I’m taking a break and traveling around London and Berlin (yay!). SO, if you’re an artist in either of those areas and want to hang out/know a place where I can take photos of your work, let me know! If you’re an artist from anywhere who wants to share their stickers with other artists, let me know! I’m collecting as many as I can to pass around while I’m there. Exciting! Anyway, today’s post comes from a fabulous European street artist. Hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, Drumstick writes: 

“Like most other street artists, I doodled since I could walk and see. My elementary school math teacher had grey hairs from trying to convince me to finish the test rather than draw big cars and weird faces in the math book.”

“In ' 03, I finished a degree in arts college here in Denmark. Afterwards, I started working with freelance illustration and a fulltime job in a printing house.  When I moved to Copenhagen in ' 05, I discovered that street art is very present here, both in the central city and suburbs. Through street art, I’m expressing my own thoughts and ideas rather than following directions from an editor or an art director. I try to use humour as the common theme of the stickers. Most of them are uniquely cut out from the label sheets I use. As a signature I've chosen to just use the ‘D’ letter.”  “I've been doing stickers for only 2 years now, so I am still green in the field of street art. I am inspired by the world's freaks of nature. I like diversity, freedom of speech, the peace movement, and artists in both visual and musical form. I try to make stickers that stand out from others. They illustrate political and satirical statements or comedic situations, figures or faces. My goal is to just make people smile or become curious of the world around them.”

“After lots of trial and error, I found a technique that withstands the tough weather and winds of Copenhagen. In the beginning, I used a wide palette of Copic Markers, but I found out that these colors fade after exposure to the sun, rain, and wind. Then, I started applying a spray finisher coat after the stickers were finished, which improved the weather-resistance."

"At the moment, I use Posca shaker paint pens to make the stickers. They have a small palette of different sizes and have a steady, durable line. These are also good for tagging because the paint will not fade over time.”

“One of the things that fascinate me is the communication between taggers and sticker artists through their art in the streets. You recognize people's work and stick up next to them. You write an answer to a question or make an "extension" or comment to another person's art statement.”

“It's also fun to see how long my stickers remain in place. I've found that drainpipes and electrical boxes outside are good places to stick up. If they are on a store or a public building, chances are high that the owners will soon remove them. I try to place them where they won’t be removed - so aim high or low, or at 'hard to access' places, if you want them to stay for a while.”  “I think that this way of getting your art out is an important way of expressing freedom of speech, which we have to respect and use. Graffiti is illegal, but what isn't these days?”

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace"—Jimi Hendrix

See more of Drumstick’s thoughts and stickers at his"Antiwar/Arts page" on MySpace: 

Thank you so much, Drumstick! And to everyone checking in from Denmark, Mange tak, læsere!